1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of manufacturing an electron-emitting device, an electron source having a plurality of electron-emitting devices disposed therein, and an image-forming apparatus such as a display device, which is structured by using the electron source.
2. Related Background Art
Up to now, as an example of the electron-emitting device, there have been known a field emission type, a metal/insulator/metal type, and a surface conduction type. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-321254 discloses a structure of the surface conduction electron-emitting device, a manufacturing method therefor, and the like.
Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 24A and 24B, a structure of the general surface conduction electron-emitting device disclosed in the above publication etc. will be shown schematically. FIGS. 24A and 24B are a plan view and a sectional view of the electron-emitting device disclosed in the above publication etc., respectively.
In FIGS. 24A and 24B, reference numeral 1 indicates a substrate; 2 and 3, a pair of electrodes opposing each other; 7, electroconductive films; 500, a second gap; 8, carbon coating films; and 9, a first gap.
FIGS. 25A to 25D schematically show an example of a manufacturing step for the electron-emitting device structured as shown in FIGS. 24A and 24B.
First, the pair of electrodes 2 and 3 are formed on the substrate 1 (FIG. 25A).
Next, the electroconductive film 7 is formed for connecting between the electrodes 2 and 3 (FIG. 25B).
Following this, a current is caused to flow between the electrodes 2 and 3 to perform a “forming step” by which the second gap 500 is formed in a part of the electroconductive film 7 (FIG. 25C).
Further, in a carbon compound atmosphere, a voltage is applied between the electrodes 2 and 3 to perform an “activation step” by which the carbon coating films 8 are formed on the substrate 1 within the second gap 500 and on the electroconductive films 7 in the vicinity thereof. Thus, the electron-emitting device is formed following the formation of the first gap 9 (FIG. 25D).
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-237571 discloses a method of manufacturing an electron-emitting device that comprises a step of applying onto the electroconductive film an organic material such as thermosetting resin, an electron beam negative resist, or polyacrylonitrile and a step of carbonizing it, instead of performing the above “activation step”.
When the electron source comprising of a plurality of electron-emitting devices manufactured according to the above manufacturing method is configured in combination with an image-forming member including a phosphor etc., an image-forming apparatus such as a flat display panel can be structured.